balsa
UK[ˈbɔːlsə]US[ˈbɔːlsə]
n
The very lightweight wood of a tropical American tree, used for making models and rafts.
n
The fast-growing tropical American tree that produces this wood.
Etymology
The word 'balsa' entered English from Spanish in the 17th century, originally referring to a raft. The Spanish term derived from the common noun 'balsa', meaning raft or float, which itself can be traced back to a pre-Roman Iberian word. The semantic shift to the tree occurred because its exceptionally lightweight wood was the primary material used for constructing rafts. Thus, the name of the vessel was transferred to the source of its buoyant material, a common process in etymology.
Analysis
The word 'balsa' is a direct borrowing from Spanish. It functions as a single, unanalyzable lexical unit in English.
Examples
The model airplane was constructed from thin sheets of balsa wood.
Balsa trees can grow remarkably quickly in the right conditions.
They lashed together balsa logs to make a simple, buoyant raft.